CeO2 quantum dots for highly selective and ultrasensitive fluorescence detection of 4-nitrophenol via the fluorescence resonance energy transfer mechanism

A novel fluorescent probe has been developed for the rapid, simple, ultrasensitive, and highly selective determination of 4-nitrophenol based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer between CeO 2 quantum dots and 4-nitrophenol. • CeO 2 QDs were prepared by the sol–gel method. • 4-NP was determined by the fluorescence quenching of CeO 2 QDs. • The sensor exhibited high sensitivity to 4-NP with a low detection limit of 1.50 nM. • A FRET mechanism between CeO 2 QDs and 4-NP was demonstrated. A rapid and simple fluorescence probe based on CeO 2 quantum dots (QDs) was developed for highly selective and ultrasensitive direct determination of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). CeO 2 QDs were prepared using the sol-gel method with the precursor of Ce(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O as a cerium source. The products were characterized through high-resolution electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The fluorescent probe based on CeO 2 QDs exhibited a broad linear response to the concentration of 4-NP in the range of 0.005–75.00 μM and provided a low detection limit of 1.50 nM. The fluorescence of CeO 2 QDs was quenched by 4-NP through the fluorescence resonance energy transfer mechanism owing to the well overlaps between the fluorescence emission spectrum of CeO 2 QDs with the ultraviolet absorption spectrum of 4-NP. This result was confirmed by the time-resolved fluorescence spectra and the evaluation of the interaction distance between CeO 2 QDs and 4-NP. The prepared CeO 2 QDs are successfully applied to the determination of 4-NP in real water samples, where the spiked recoveries range from 98.2% to 102.4%.